The present invention relates generally to pierced earrings, and more particularly, to pierced earrings having improved retaining mechanisms.
Pierced earrings are made of an ornament that is part of or is secured to a stem that is inserted through the ear.1
Conventional pierced earrings are made using a variety of earring locking, fastening or retaining mechanisms.
One simple retaining mechanism includes a disk with an opening therein that slides over the stem and is held on by means of friction between the stem and the opening caused by an interference fit between the stem and the opening. Typically, the stem has a groove that is used to retain the disk on the stem if it slides away from the ornament to the end of the stem. However, the disks may be easily and inadvertently removed from the stem when hair is brushed, or if the ear or body in the vicinity of the earring is fondled. Consequently, the retainer may be lost or the earring may be lost because the retainer does not reliably stay on the stem.
Another convention retaining mechanism is a screw-on type device wherein the conventional stem of the earring is removed by a jeweler and is replaced by a threaded stem. The threaded stem is sized to mate with the opening in the disk of the retainer, or with a new retainer having an opening sized to match the threaded stem, and which is threaded onto the stem to retain the earring on the ear or other body part. However, although this type of retainer is more reliable than the simple sliding retainer, it also can be inadvertently removed from the ear or body, and the retainer or earring may be lost. Furthermore, there is added cost in that the earring must be reworked by the jeweler to attach the threaded stem onto the back of the earring. Consequently, this arrangement is normally used only on relatively expensive earrings.
A third convention retaining mechanism is known as a "French clasp". The French clasp has a spring-loaded loop that is spring-loaded against the back of the ear when in use. However, the spring force is typically not high so that the earring is not uncomfortable for the wearer. Consequently, the spring-loaded loop may be inadvertently opened which will allow the earring to drop from the ear and be lost.
A fourth convention retaining mechanism is one wherein the stem pivots around an axis on one part of the earring and is secured by pressing the end of the stem distal from the axis into a U-shaped groove whose entry opening is less than the diameter of the stem and separates to allow the stem to be retained in the groove. The differences in the respective diameters of the stem and the groove are typically chosen so that it is relatively easy to insert and remove the stem from the groove, but is adequate to retain the stem in the groove. However, as with the other conventional retainers, the stem can be inadvertently pulled out of the groove which will allow the earring to be lost.
Unfortunately, the conventionally available earring retainers suffer from one or more problems that typically result in the eventual loss of an earring, or require additional cost and time to retrofit threaded stems to use screw-on-type fasteners.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide for an earring having a retaining mechanism that improves over the above-described conventional retainers.